Yeo Han-koo, head of the Office of the Minister for Trade at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources, departed for the United States on the 11th to clear up U.S. misunderstandings about Korea's Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection amendment and the online platform bill.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the Deputy Minister said at Incheon International Airport as he left for the United States that "there is a need to explain the exact policy intent behind domestic digital legislation," adding, "if there are any parts the U.S. side might misunderstand, we need to prevent that in advance."
Recently, the U.S. administration and Congress expressed displeasure, saying the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection amendment passed by the National Assembly at the end of last year and the online platform bill being pushed forward are regulations targeting U.S. corporations.
On the 31st of last month (local time), the U.S. State Department issued a statement expressing "serious concern," and on the 5th the House Appropriations Committee, through an accompanying report to the "fiscal 2026 budget," pointed to "discriminatory treatment against U.S. technology corporations."
The Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection includes a provision requiring payment of up to five times the damages if someone knowingly and intentionally spreads information known to be fabricated.
The Deputy Minister said, "It seems there are parts where our exact policy intent is being misunderstood," adding, "we plan to conduct intensive outreach targeting the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), key senators and representatives, and the digital-related industry and associations."
In the United States, some view this U.S. discontent as potentially escalating into a South Korea–U.S. trade dispute. Politico, a U.S. political news outlet, analyzed that the postponement of the South Korea–U.S. Free Trade Agreement (FTA) Joint Committee meeting that had been scheduled for the 18th of last month was for this reason. The two governments had agreed to discuss South Korea–U.S. non-tariff barriers at the South Korea–U.S. FTA Joint Committee.
The Deputy Minister added, "We will discuss the FTA joint committee during this visit to the U.S., but the timing is not what matters now," saying, "since we keep communication channels open with the USTR and others, we can hold the South Korea–U.S. FTA joint committee when both sides are ready."
The Deputy Minister emphasized, "In the domestic legislative process, including digital issues, it is important to manage the South Korea–U.S. trade environment stably through sufficient stakeholder input and explanations by the relevant ministries."